5 Photo Tips for Selling Online

Taking good quality photos of your products for your selling page is as important, if not more, as the description itself. Photos can attract views which can then lead to sales.

We’ve put together a short list of helpful tips based on common errors sellers make when posting photos.

1. Have a clear uncluttered background – While sometimes adding props to the background of an image can seem artistic, make sure you have a clear shot of the product on it’s own. That way there is no confusion on what is for sale, and the buyer gets a good look at the product.

2. Ensure the photo is clear and in focus – Blurry photos or photos with light bouncing off of them are not an accurate representation of the product and can distract potential buyers. Make sure that you take your photos in a well lit area, but way from direct sunlight and that your image is in focus.

3. Include more than one photo – Including a range of pictures lets your buyers see your product from different angles, and to get a better idea of the product itself and the condition it is in. Include shots from different angles, wide and zoomed in, or like in the book pictured below a peek at the inside as well.

4. Size images properly – There’s nothing worse than wanting to get a closer look at a product and the image is too small! Make sure your images are cropped and sized properly, if you include a thumbnail image, make sure that it is clickable to make it larger. With eBay, there is a zoom feature that will enlarge your images (800-1600 pixels wide) once a customer clicks on it, so make sure that you’re images are sized correctly to utilise this.

5. Show the product to scale – This may not be necessary for all products, but sometimes people don’t read measurements on a listing. Including a ruler or a coin to show how big an object is can go a long way to helping a customer decide to buy your product.

All of the above images were taken on an iPhone, so don’t feel as if you need an expensive camera to take good quality images of your stock. Good lighting and a steady hand can go a long way to ensuring you get the best photos possible for your sellers page.